to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly- | are to watch carefully your whole conduct, in all kindness, charity;" "Beware, lest ye, being led your intercourse with others, that it may accord in away by the error of the wicked, fall from your all things with the law of God, which is holy, and own stedfastness; but grow in grace, and in the just, and good. You are to watch carefully against knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." the various temptations to which you may be exposed, and which might draw you from the path which leads to heaven. You are to seek earnestly and constantly, that the grace of Christ may be made sufficient for you, and that his strength may be made perfect in your weakness, and that thus you may be found without spot and blameless, at his appearing. You are to "work out your salvation," by a diligent and persevering use of all these means of grace, which God has appointed, and which he usually blesses to his people for bringing them to heaven at last; such as reading the Word of God, hearing a preached gospel, attending the table of the Lord, frequent and serious meditation on the reality and importance of spiritual and eternal objects, and especially, fervent and persevering prayer and supplication. Prayer is the great instrument for keeping the power of religion alive in the soul, and where it is diligently and fervently performed, true religion will not fail to prosper; but where it is neglected, or gone about with coldness and indifference, nothing good will long be found. The true servants of God being found in such a course, "shall flourish like the palm-tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon; they shall bring forth fruit even in old age, and still be flourishing." The season of conversion is a most important period, when a sinner is turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; when a person, who was formerly in a state of condemnation, is brought into a saving state,-who formerly lay under the wrath of God, is brought to the enjoyment of his favour. But much remains to be done after this, before the Christian obtain the actual possession and enjoyment of eternal life in heaven. He has, perhaps, many years of his pilgrimage to pass in this world, and during all that period, he will find many remaining corruptions in his heart, which he has to war against, and labour to subdue; many temptations to resist and overcome; many difficulties to surmount; many dangers to pass through; many enemies to encounter; many graces to cultivate, improve and strengthen, and much advancement to make in holiness, both of heart and life, that he may be meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. It is a work full of difficulty, and which will require all possible exertion, for he has to strive not only with external hindrances and difficulties, but with the perverse, evil, untoward dispositions of his own heart. He is like one swimming against a stream, who may make progress by steady and persevering exertion, but will inevitably But what are these to do, and what can they be carried down, if he indulges in relaxing his efforts. do, who are still in their sins, and under the You, then, who are already genuine Christians, wrath of God, in order to be brought into a state and in a state of favour with God, are to work of salvation? In answering this inquiry, it will out your final happiness and salvation, by unre- be found suitable to divide them into two classes, mitted labour, care, diligence, and unceasing at- the first consisting of those who are void of all tention to the things which belong to your peace. thought, and care, and feeling about this matter. It It is a most glorious object you have before you, is idle to examine what such persons can do, in even eternal happiness. The attainment of it may working out their salvation, for it is certain they be difficult, but it is not impossible, for it is God will do nothing while they continue in that state who worketh in you, "both to will, and to do of of mind. To exhort them, therefore, to work his good pleasure," and having the promise of this out their salvation, is vain. The way in which aid, you may cheerfully engage in the work to they must be dealt with, when they will give us which you are called. In working out your salva- a hearing, is to set before them such truths as tion, you are to set a constant guard on your heart, may be expected, through the blessing of God, to for out of it are the issues of life, and God says to awaken and stir them up to some concern about every one of his children, " My Son, give me thy salvation. They must be reminded of the cerheart;" you are to watch it, as in the sight of an all- tainty of death; that there is a God of infinite seeing, infinitely holy God, and give all diligence, holiness and justice, whom they have all their that the love of God may habitually reign in it; life long been opposing and neglecting, before that your faith in Christ may be strong and lively; whom they must appear to be judged for every that no evil temper or disposition be indulged, and deed done in the body; that they have souls that that it never become the habitation of vain, sinful, shall never die; that the wicked, and all who earthly, corrupt, sensual imaginations, thoughts despise or neglect Christ and his salvation, shall and desires, but that it be habitually holy and be turned into hell, and that the revolving ages pure, a spiritual temple, a habitation of God of eternity shall never bring their misery to a through the Spirit. You are to set a guard on close. If such considerations as these do not your lips, and to take care that your conversation bring them to a serious concern about salvation, be always with grace, seasoned with salt; that no they must be left to their doom, to perish in their filthiness, nor foolish talking, nothing dishonour-obstinacy and impenitence, unless divine grace ing to God, nothing corrupting or injurious to mankind, nothing but that which is good to the use of edifying, proceed from your mouth. You shall interpose and awaken them to a sense of their situation, and stir up in them a desire to escape the wrath to come. the perseverance of the saints be fully admitted, it may be observed, that few, if any, are at all times so absolutely certain of their being truly saints, as to banish all fears and apprehensions on this ground. The marks of real saintship are, in many cases, attended with some degree of obscurity, and they who possess these marks most clearly, have yet also many things which may be considered as marks of a contrary nature, and these may be sufficient at least to excite anxiety, and concern, and care, and labour, lest they fall short at last. On this are grounded the Scripture exhortations," Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Heb. iv. 1. "Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief;" ver. 11. "Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." Heb. xii. 15. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Heb. iii. 12. "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire." Heb. xii. 28, 29. "Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. x. 12. The second class consists of such as feel some desire, more or less, after this object; and them we would exhort to labour with all their might, that they may be brought into a saving state. Labour that you may obtain true faith and genuine repentance, pardon of sin, a renewed nature, true love to God and to holiness, peace with God, a title to the heavenly inheritance, and a meetness for it. Without supposing that you are able to work yourself into a saving state by your own powers without divine aid, yet there is still much that you can do in the use of means, and this you are bound, both from duty and interest, diligently to do; and while you are doing what you can in the use of appointed means, you may hope that He who has brought you thus far, will perfect that which concerneth you, and not forsake the work of his own hands. Supposing that God alone can bring you into a state of salvation, you can at least wait on him, and cry to him, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God"-" Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." In doing this, you have no reason to fear a disappointment; for it is declared by unchangeable truth, "That they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." It is at once commanded and promised, "Wait on the But though there should be no fear of the final Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen issue, there are evils which may befal Christians thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." The ex-by the way, more than sufficient to cause them to perience of the Psalmist, Ps. xl. 1-3, amply confirms the truth of all this. "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." We now proceed to advert to the circumstance of "fear and trembling," with which the apostle directs us to work out our own salvation. There is a degree of "fear and trembling" which incapacitates for successful exertion, but it may be safely affirmed that it is not this which is required. There is, in fact, no reason for it; for however unfit we may be for working out our salvation, and however awful a failure may be, the Christian may work courageously, knowing that he has an almighty helper, through whose promised grace and strength he is sure of success. But there is also a degree of fear which produces care, and caution, and circumspection, and attention to every circumstance that may either endan-liverance from the waters of the flood; David fallger or ensure success. This is the fear with which we are called upon to work out our own salvation, and this fear is most salutary. This part of the exhortation is applicable both to those who are already in a state of favour with God, and to those who are only seeking to be brought into that state. They who are in a state of favour with God, need to work with "fear and trembling," lest at last they come short. For though "work out their salvation with fear and trembling." They need to fear and tremble lest they fall into a course of general backsliding; lest, like the Ephesian Church, as mentioned in the Revelations, they lose the warmth of their first love; and lest, like the Church of Laodicea, they become lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, an object of disgust and loathing to the Redeemer. In such a state, they will not only be displeasing to their God and Saviour, but they will lose all the comforts of religion. This, however, is not all that Christians have to fear and tremble for. They need to fear and tremble lest they fall into some gross sin, or foul blot, which may be very highly dishonouring to God; bring great reproach on religion; give room for its enemies to triumph, and to blaspheme that holy name by which they are called; be a cause of bitter remorse, anguish, and degradation to them while they live, and greatly destroy their usefulness in the world. The most distinguished saint is exposed to this danger. Noah falling into drunkenness, so soon after he had experienced so great a de ing into adultery and murder, after God had seated him on the throne; Peter denying the Lord who bought him; are proofs sufficient to carry conviction to every heart, that fear and trembling are necessary and salutary while working out our salvation, however eminent any of us may be for religious attainments, and give abundant ground for the caution, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." As to those who are under concern about reli- | gion, but have not yet attained to what they consider as a state of acceptance with God, fear and trembling are still more necessary in them, while working out their salvation. When the hardness, deceitfulness, and desperate wickedness of the heart is considered, they have reason to fear and tremble. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots," is a question which may well alarm those who have been long accustomed to do evil, and their own experience of resolutions and failures will only tend to confirm the alarm. It is true, they may always be assured that God can change their hearts; but when they consider how much they have provoked him and abused his patience; how often he has called, and they have refused to hear; how long he has striven with them by his Word, and Providence, and Spirit, exciting convictions, while they have resisted, they may fear and tremble lest he swear in his wrath that he will strive no more with them. When they consider how often they have already had serious thoughts, and allowed them to vanish how often they have made some attempts toward the attainment of salvation, and then given them up; how often they have had some promising appearances of goodness, which, "like the morning cloud and early dew," have passed away; they may tremble lest, in the just judgment of God, they should be left to go on through life in the same fruitless attempts, and die as they have lived, unconverted. When they consider how they use the means of grace, how destitute of fervour and earnestness their prayers are; what defects attend their reading and hearing, they have cause to fear that God, so far from granting his salvation to such endeavours, will be provoked to spurn with indignation those who are so little in earnest. ; These things, however, are set before you, not to lead any to despair, or even to excite despondency, but to rouse every one, if possible, to that anxious solicitude about this most important of all objects, which shall lead to the most strenuous and unremitted exertions. Surely there is reason for fear and trembling, considering the infinite importance of the object "salvation," and that if you die without having it secured, it is totally and for ever lost. There is reason for fear and trembling, considering your own weakness, depravity, your averseness from good, and proneness to evil, with the innumerable snares and temptations with which you are constantly surrounded. But you may take courage to labour with all your might, since you know that it is "God who worketh in you." You need not despond, since you know that the Almighty is on your side, and has promised you his aid. Go on, therefore, and labour courageously and perseveringly in this work. It is not only a work which requires labour, but persevering labour, while you are in this world. It is a race which you must continue to run while life remains. It is a warfare, in which you must continue fighting, till the last enemy, death, be destroyed. Let every day you live, therefore, bring some addition to this work, some progress in this race, some victory in this warfare, till, at the close of your days, you shall be able, through the faith of the Son of God, and the grace of his spirit, to say, with the holy apostle, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory, which God, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day." DESCRIPTION OF EASTERN HOUSES. For the following interesting account, we are indebted to Dr Shaw: "The general method of building," says he, " both in Barbary and the Levant, seems to have continued the same, from the earliest ages, without the least alteration or improvement. Large doors, spacious chambers, marble pavements, cloistered courts, with fountains sometimes playing in the midst, are certainly of these climates, where the summer heats are geneconveniences very well adapted to the circumstances rally so intense. The jealousy likewise of these people is less apt to be alarmed, whilst all the windows open into their respective courts, if we except a latticed window or balcony which sometimes looks into the street. It is during the celebration only of some Zeenah, as they call a public festival, that these houses and their latticed windows and balconies are left open. For this being a time of great liberty, revelling, and extravagance, each family is ambitious of adorning both the inside and the outside of their houses with their richest furniture: whilst crowds of both sexes, dressed out in their best apparel, and laying aside all modesty and restraint, go in and out where they please. The account we have, 2 Kings ix. 30., of Jezebel's painting her face, and tiring her head, and looking out at a window, upon Jehu's public entrance into Jezreel, gives us a lively idea of an eastern lady at one of these Zeenahs, or solemnities. "The streets of these cities, the better to shade them from the sun, are usually narrow, with sometimes When "In the summer season, and upon all occasions when a large company is to be received, this court is commonly sheltered from the heat or inclemency of the weather by a velum umbrella, or veil, which, being expanded upon ropes from one side of the parapet wall to the other, may be folded or unfolded at pleasure. The Psalmist seems to allude either to the tents of the Bedouins, or to some covering of this kind, in that beautiful expression, of spreading out the heavens like a veil, or curtain. "The court is for the most part surrounded with a cloister, as the Cava Edium of the Romans was with a peristyllium, or colonnade; over which, when the house has one or more stories (and I have seen them with two or three) there is a gallery erected, of the same dimensions with the cloister, having a balustrade, or else a piece of carved or latticed work going round about it, to prevent people from falling from it into the court. From the cloisters and galleries, we are conducted into large spacious chambers, of the same length with the court, but seldom or never communicating with one another. One of them frequently serves a whole family, particularly when a father indulges his married children to live with him, or when several persons join in the rent of the same house. From whence it is, that the cities of these countries, which, in general, are much inferior in size to those of Europe, yet are so exceedingly populous, that great numbers of people are always swept away by the plague, or any other contagious distemper. A mixture of families of this kind seems to be spoken of by Maimonides, as he is quoted by Dr Lightfoot, upon 1 Cor. x. 16. "In houses of better fashion, these chambers are hung with velvet or damask from the middle of the wall downwards, are covered and adorned with velvet or damask hangings of white, blue, red, green, or other colours, (Esth. i. 6,) suspended on hooks, or taken down at pleasure; but the upper part is embellished with more permanent ornaments, being adorned with the most ingenious wreathings and devices, in stucco and fretwork. The ceiling is generally of wainscot, either very artfully painted, or else thrown into a variety of pannels, with gilded mouldings and scrolls of their Koran intermixed. The prophet Jeremiah, xxii. 14, exclaims against some of the eastern houses that were ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. The floors are laid with painted tiles or plaster of terrace; but as these people make little or no use of chairs, (either sitting cross-legged, or lying at length upon these floors,) they always cover or spread them over with carpets, which, for the most part, are of the richest materials. Along the sides of the wall, or floor, a range of narrow beds, or mattrasses, is often placed upon these carpets; and for their further ease and convenience, several damask or velvet bolsters are placed on these carpets or mattrasses; indulgences that seem to be alluded to by the stretching themselves upon couches, and the sewing of pillows to arm holes, as we have it expressed Amos vi. 4, Ezekiel xiii. 18-20. At one end of each chamber there is a little gallery, raised three, four, or five feet above the floor, with a balustrade in the front of it, with a few steps likewise leading up to it. Here they place their beds, a situation frequently alluded to in the Holy Scriptures. "The stairs are sometimes placed in the porch, sometimes at the entrance into the court. When there is one or more stories, they are afterwards continued through one corner or other of the gallery, to the top of the house, whither they conduct us through a door, that is constantly kept shut, to prevent their domestic animals from daubing the terrace, and thereby spoiling the water which falls from thence into the cisterns below the court. This door, like most others we meet with in these countries, is hung not with hinges, but by having the jamb formed at each end into an axletree or pivot; whereof the uppermost, which is the longest, is to be received into a correspondent socket in the lintel, while the other falls into a cavity of the like fashion in the threshold. The stone door, so much admired and taken notice of by Mr Maundrell, in his description of the Royal Sepulchres at Jerusalem, is exactly of this fashion, and very common in most places. "I do not remember to have observed the staircase conducted along the outside of the house; neither, indeed, will the contiguity and relation, which these houses bear to the street, and to each other, (exclusive of the supposed privacy of them,) admit of any such contrivance. However, we may go up or come down them, by the staircase I have described, without entering into any of the offices or apartments, and consequently without interfering with the business of the house, which will be explanatory enough of Mat. xxiv. 17, Let him that is upon the house-top not come down to take any thing out of the house,' provided the action there recorded requires any such interpretation. "The top of the house, which is always flat, is covered with a strong plaster of terrace; from whence, in the Frank language, it has attained the name of The Terrace, a word made use of likewise in several parts of these countries. It is usually surrounded by two walls; the outermost whereof is partly built over the street, partly makes the partition with the contiguous houses, being frequently so low that one may easily climb over it. The other, which I call the parapet wall, hangs immediately over the court, being always breast high, and answers to the word, Deut. xxii. 8, which we render the battlement. Instead of this parapet wall, some terraces are guarded in the same manner the galleries are, with balustrades only or latticed work; in which fashion, probably, as the name seems to import, was the net or lattice, as we render it, that Ahaziah, 2 Kings i. 2, might be carelessly leaning over, when he fell down from thence into the court; for upon these terraces several offices of the family are performed, such as the drying of linen and flax, Josh. ii. 6; the preparing of figs and raisins ; where likewise they enjoy the cool refreshing breezes of the evening, converse with one another, and offer up their devotions. In the feast of tabernacles booths were erected upon them, Neh. viii. 16. When one of these cities is built upon level ground, we can pass from one end of it to the other, along the tops of the houses, without coming down into the street. "To most of these houses there is a smaller one annexed, which sometimes rises one storey higher than the house; at other times it consists of one or two rooms only, and a terrace; whilst others, that are built, as they frequently are, over the porch or gateway, have, if we except the ground-floor, which they have not, all the conveniences that belong to the house, properly so called. There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house, kept open or shut at the discretion of the master of the family; besides another door, which opens immediately from a secret stair, down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. These back-houses are known by the name of Alee or Oleah, (for the house, properly so called, is Daar or beet,) and in them strangers are usually lodged and entertained; in them likewise the men are wont to retire, from the hurry and noise of their families, to be more at leisure for meditation or diversions; besides the use they are at other times put to in serving for wardrobes and magazines. "The Oleah of the Holy Scriptures being literally the same appellation, is accordingly so rendered in the Arabic version. We may suppose it then to have been a structure of the like contrivance. The little chamber, consequently, that was built by the Shunamite for Elisha, whither, as the text instructs us, he retired at his pleasure, without breaking in upon the private affairs of the family, or being in his turn interrupted by them in his devotions; the summer chamber of Eglon, which, in the same manner with these, seems to have had privy stairs belonging to it, through which Ehud escaped after he had revenged Israel upon the king of Moab; the chamber over the gate, whither, for the greater privacy, king David withdrew himself to weep for Absalom; and that upon whose terrace Ahaz, for the same reason, erected his altars, seem to have been structures of the like nature and contrivance with these Olees. "The eastern method of building may further assist us, in accounting for the particular structure of the temple or house of Dagon, Judges xvi., and the great number of people that were buried in its ruins, by pulling down the two principal pillars. We read, verse 27, that about three thousand persons were upon the roof to behold while Samson made sport.' Samson must, therefore, have been in a court or area below them; consequently, the temple will be of the same kind with the ancient temene, or sacred inclosures, surrounded only in part, or altogether, with some plain or cloistered buildings. Several palaces and dawânas, as they call the courts of justice in those countries, are built in this fashion; where, upon their festivals and rejoicings, a great quantity of sand is strewed upon the area for the pelto-wans or wrestlers to fall upon; whilst the roofs of these cloisters are crowded with spectators of their strength and agility. I have often seen several hundreds of people diverted in this manner upon the Dey's palace at Algiers, which, like many more of the same quality and denomination, has an advanced cloister over against the gate of the palace, Esther v. 1, made in the fashion of a large penthouse, supported only by one or two contiguous pillars in the front or else in the centre. In such open structures as these, in the midst of their guards or counsellors, are the bashas, cadis, and other great officers to distribute justice, and transact the public affairs of their provinces. Here likewise they have their public entertainments, as the lords and others of the Philistines had in the house of Dagon. Upon a supposition, therefore, that in the house of Dagon there was a cloistered structure of this kind, the pulling down the front or centre pillars only which supported it, would be attended with the like catastrophe that happened to the Philistines." JOHN STEVENSON, AN AYRSHIRE CHRISTIAN OF COMMUNICATED by the Rev. DUNCAN MACFARLAN, Minister of Renfrew. IN our last paper we furnished some account of the exercises of his mind, in its even conditions, in the sight of God; but it will now be necessary to extract only such portions of his narrative, as, from the variety of subject, or altered circumstances of the individual, are fitted to interest and instruct general readers: "Soon after this, and whilst at Craigdarroch, my spirit was overwhelmed within me, on account of a rising generation, and for fear of a departing God and glory. I was at this time frequently obliged to retire to solitary places, and, with an aching heart and trembling soul, have I bewailed the sad circumstances of posterity, should God be pleased to leave these lands. I saw that many faithful shepherds had been banished, some put to death, and that others were still restlessly pursued, so that the Lord's flock seemed scattered, wandering on the mountains, as on a dark and cloudy day. This caused such as knew the voice of Christ, and would not follow strangers, to wander from sea to | sea, and from one part of the land to another, to hear the pure and good word of the Lord; and yet, in many cases, they could not find it. This made my soul to be cast down within me, for all flesh seemed to have corrupted their way. Then it occurred, that if Christ were not to return with a preached Gospel in plenty and purity, we had been the cruel generation who had sent him away, not from ourselves only, but also from posterity. This caused me deeply to lament the prospects of a rising generation, and earnestly to entreat, that glory might yet dwell in our land. While I was in this melancholy state, I had occasion to hear Mr James Renwick, who dropped a word to those who were sorrowful, because the ways of Zion mourned, and none went up as formerly to her solemn assemblies. He bade such take courage, for Christ would yet comfort Zion, and return to these lands, in spite of all opposition. He advanced several arguments, or grounds of hope, to this effect. But being perplexed in spirit, I mustered in my own breast as many objections as there were grounds of hope, and so still strengthened myself in distressing unbelief. At length he advanced for our encouragement, that God had borne it in on the minds of honest ministers and private Christians, on scaffolds, and at the hour of death, and as by an irresistible gale of his Spirit, that he would yet say concerning this part of Zion,' Here is my rest, and here I desire to dwell.' On this, my discouragement vanished, for I persuaded myself that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and that God would never suffer the expectation of the poor to fail, especially when he had impressed them with this hope at a dying hour, and when their minds were filled with peace and joy in believing, and some of them going forth as princes, to enter into the divine presence, having an abundant entrance ministered to them into the heavenly kingdom. And now, blessed be his name, who banished my fears, and has since let me see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, and glory dwelling in our land, nearly forty years together, there being none of Zion's enemies now to make us afraid. The Lord has brought back our captivity like streams in the south, and when he did so, we were like men that dreamed. He filled our mouths with singing, and our hearts with joy; and I must say, to his praise, that before the mercy came, he remarkably poured down a spirit of prayer on us, and so prepared our hearts, and bowed down his ear to hear. And now, after reflection, as well as at the time, I am fully convinced, that he never bade the house of Jacob, however depressed their circumstances, to seek his face in vain, but that it is really good for us, at all times, to draw near to God. "After it pleased Zion's God to bring back our captivity, and Presbytery became established in the Church, I had great difficulty about my joining in communion with her, and because I thought of our covenants not being renewed, and our sad defection not duly censured. It was difficult for me to determine; and, therefore, I set apart a day for asking counsel at the Lord. I went to some distance in the fields, that I might have greater convenience for prayer, and meditation on what I ought to do. Having entreated that God would send forth his light and truth, that they might be guides to me, and so lead me to his holy hill, that I might go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, I consulted my Bible, to see what had been the practice of the Church of God in like circumstances, and that under both the Old and New dispensations, and I found, that under the Old Testament, it had been frequently the approven practice of the Church and people of God, to bind themselves to him in solemn and national covenants, and that in their covenanting, they bound themselves against error both in principle and practice, as we have done by our national and solemn league and covenants, and I am persuaded, that these are always binding, not only as containing nothing but what every |